


Vorjurassic Park

by Philomytha



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Dinosaurs, F/M, Humour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-04
Updated: 2012-01-04
Packaged: 2017-10-28 22:51:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/313042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Philomytha/pseuds/Philomytha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Bharaputrans have a gift for the Lord Regent of Barrayar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vorjurassic Park

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Carmarthen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carmarthen/gifts).



> For Carmarthen, who rashly asked for dinosaurs in her fandom stocking!

"But is it housetrained?"

Aral stared at the creature. It cocked a small green head on one side and stared straight back at him, yellow cat-slitted eyes tracking his movements. The similarity, Cordelia thought, was a little disturbing: two top predators meeting. Then it yawned, displaying a very large number of needle-sharp white teeth, and Armsman Esterhazy twitched. Its head was no bigger than Cordelia's fist, but the teeth looked like they could do serious damage all the same. She looked back at the care instructions.

"It doesn't seem to be, I'm afraid. But it is a genuine miniaturised Earth reptile species. _Tyrannosaurus rex_ , reduced to the size of a cat. Apparently it's been extinct for sixty-five million years."

"Until House Bharaputra started angling for shipping contracts through Komarr, at least, and thought rare gifts would sweeten the deal," Aral muttered. "Do you want it, dear Captain?"

Cordelia contemplated the mini-dinosaur. "It would be interesting to watch. I mean, how much study has been done on these creatures' behaviour? Though I expect the Bharaputrans have modified..." She looked back at the care instructions, but they were annoyingly empty of scientific detail.

"It would distract people at parties, too," Aral said. "Do you think it can be trained to chase Count Vortashpula?"

"It wouldn't need training. Any creature of sense would chase Count Vortashpula."

"True. Perhaps I could come to like it." Aral regarded the dinosaur again. "But what about Miles?"

The thought of what uses Miles might make of a miniature _Tyrannosaurus rex_ was enough to give Cordelia hives. It was hard enough to get any peace as things were; she didn't want to give her son another partner in crime. "Hmm," she said. "You know, I think maybe we shouldn't keep it here. We can't give it away, of course, not a _present_ , but it's an animal. It would be much happier in the country. And your father likes animals." She thought of the horses with a shudder.

"Horses are hardly the same as dinosaurs," Aral protested.

"They're both archaic and from Earth and you'd have to be crazy to want to have them around," Cordelia said.

"I enjoy riding."

"And you think this disproves my point, love?"

"Ha. Maybe not. So, you want to send the dinosaur to my father?"

"Like calling to like?" she offered, only half joking.

The dinosaur yawned and stretched out, displaying its razor claws and rows of lethal teeth. "You know," Aral said with a faint smile, putting an arm around her, "I think my father might consider that a compliment."


End file.
